Device for the formation of a sturdy selvedge of fabrics formed in a continuous weft-supply loom



July 23, 1968 v, sc o 3,393,711

DEVICE FOR THE FORMATION OF A STURDY SELVEDGE OF FABRICS FORMED IN ACONTINUOUS WEFT-SUPPLY LOOM Filed May 6, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR#1 12; JEweH/ BY 46 W ATTORNEY July 23, 1968 v SCHERILLQ 3,393,711

DEVICE FOR THE FORMATION OF A STURDY SELVEDGE OF FABRICS FORMED IN ACONTINUOUS WEFT-SUPPLY LOOM Filed May 6, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q QINVENTOR ATTORNEY 3,393,711 DEVICE FOR THE FORMATION OF A STURDYSELVEDGE OF FABRICS FORMED IN A CON- TINUOUS WEFT-SUPPLY LOOM VittorioScherillo, Florence, Italy, assignor to Nuovo Pignone S.p.A., Florence,Italy, a company of Italy Filed May 6, 1966, Ser. No. 558,185 Claimspriority, application Italy, May 15, 1965, 10,931/ 65 4 Claims. (Cl.139-122) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An auxilitary weft inserting needleis mounted on a loom breastbeam for reversible helical movement aboutand along its axis to insert a loop of auxiliary weft into the side ofthe warp shed each time the warps are shedded; and a retaining needle isreciprocable forwardly and downwardly to engage and hold each weft loopin the shed during the retraction of the inserting needle. Three,identical, triangular cams are mounted on a single shaft, and areconnected, one to the inserting needle, and two to the retaining needle,to effect positive forward and return movements of the two needles inthe described directions.

This invention relates to a device for the formation of a sturdyselvedge on a shuttleless loom having a continuous weft-supplymechanism, in which the weft thread coming out of a fixed bobbinpositioned outside the fabric is brought to the shed by two insertingneedles, one being the carrier needle and the other a pulling needle,which are moved one contrarily to the other.

Said method of inserting the weft threads requires, in the majority ofcases, that the selvedge of the fabric be strengthened so that the warpthreads, which are near the selvedge, are not displaced laterally andthe selvedge may offer the resistance which is necessary for thesubsequent processing stages.

To this end, an independent thread, coming from a bobbin placed outsidethe fabric, is inserted in the form of a loop in the shed and is beatenby the reed together with the weft. A bond is thus formed between thetwo weft threads, at the two sides of the fabric, to replace theconventional selvedge.

An object of the present invention to provide a device for inserting asupplementary thread, in the form of a loop, in the shead, so tostrengthen the fabric edges. The basic mechanism of said device consistsof two needles, the one which brings the thread for sewing the fabricselvedge, called the insertion needle, which is moved in a directiontransverse of the warp threads and inserts the thread by rotating aboutits own axis, the other needle being called a takeup needle, which fallsver tically from top and holds the thread until the insertion needlecomes out of the shed and the weft is beaten by the reed.

A more specific object of this invention is to reduce the cost and sizeof looms of the type described. To this end it is an object of thisinvention to employ, where possible, identical, interchangeable parts,and to reduce the number of movable parts required to operate a selvedgedevice of the type described herein.

The device forming the subject of the present invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, which show but a single possible embodiment.Mechanical equivalents, capable of producing the movementscharacteristic of said device, lie within the scope of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view illustrative of the general mechanicalconstruction of a selvedge device made according to one embodiment ofthis invention.

' nited States Patent 3,393,711 Patented July 23, 1968 FIGURE 2 is asectional view taken transversely of the cam shaft shown in FIG. 1, andillustrates the portion of the device causing the movement of thethreadinserting needle.

FIGURE 3 is a further sectional view through this shaft, and isillustrative of the portion of the device causing the horizontaltranslational movement of the takeup needle.

FIGURE 4 is a still further sectional view through this shaft, andillustrates the depressing and lifting movement of said takeup needle.

The device is actuated by the loom crankshaft which, through a planetarygear (not illustrated) is connected with the gear 32 (FIGS. 1 and 4),which is fixed to, and transmits the drive to, the shaft 1.

Said shaft 1 is journaled adjacent opposite ends thereof in opposedwalls 41, only one of which is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, of a housing 40(FIGS. 2 to 4), which is fixed on the breastbeam of a conventional,continuous weftsupply loom. Shaft 1 has three triangular cams 2, 16 and26 (FIGS. 2 to 4) fixed to it, which effect the four belowdescribedmovements that the inserting and takeup needles should have, and alsopermitting an entirely positive control of the movements of saidneedles. Cams 2, 16 and 26 are mounted to rotate in the housing 40between the furcations of forks 3, 17 and 27, respectively, which aremounted by pins 43 (FIGS. 3 and 4) in the housing to pivot coaxially ofone another on spaced legs 44 (only one of which is illustrated in FIG.3) that are integral with and project upwardly from the bottom ofhousing 40.

The cam 2, by being rotated with the shaft 1, rocks the fork 3 which isconnected by a pin 54 with a lever 4, pin 54 engaging in a slot 55 inthis lever, the latter being pivoted at its lower end on pin 43, andtransmitting, via the connecting rod 5 which is pivotally connected atopposite ends to levers 4 and 6, its reciprocating drive to the lever 6.Lever 6 is pivoted at its upper end on a stationary shaft 46, whichextends between opposite sides of the housing 40 above and parallel tothe shaft 1. At its lower end lever 6 is pivotally connected to one endof a link 7, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to a block8 that is clamped on the rear end of a sleeve 9. Sleeve 9 is mounted foraxial sliding movement transverse to shaft 1 in the bore 47 formed in abracket 48, which projects upwardly from the bottom of housing 40. Thelever 6 thus imparts, via the connecting rod 7, a horizontalreciprocation to the block 8 and thus to the sleeve 9 on which saidblock 8 is fastened. Rotatably mounted in the sleeve 9 is an arbor orshaft 10 which, through the ring 11 and the guide 12 is made toreciprocate in the longitudinal direction with the sleeve 9, but isfreely rotatable about its own axis. Shaft 10 has a sliding keyconnection with guide 12, and extends beyond guide 12 and through aregistering bore in a bearing .14, which is secured in the front wall ofthe housing 40.

In the guide 12 is inserted a pin 13 which projects downwardly to slidewithin an arcuate slot 14' of the halfsleeve portion 50 of bearing 14.

The arbor 10 carries affixed to the outer end thereof, or the endtowards the reed, the inserting needle 15 which has a semiellipticalshape and has in'its lower end a conventional eye through which theselvedge thread can travel.

Thus, when the arbor 10' is pushed forward by the cam motion, the pin13, by sliding within the slot 14 of the half-sleeve 50, follows thearcuate trend of said slot, thereby imparting to the inserting needle 15a rotary motion about its own axis. Slight oscillatory movement is thusimparted to the needle 15 each time the sleeve 9 is reciprocated by cam2, so that the eye of needle 15 follows a helical path.

On the shaft 1 a cam 16 is also keyed, which, in a manner similar to theone described above, moves the fork 17. The latter has a pin 54 whichengages in a slot 55 in a lever 18 which is pivotally connected at itslower end to the same pin 43 as fork 17, and at its upper end isconnected to one end of a link 19, the opposite end of which ispivotally connected to a lever 20 intermediate the ends thereof. Lever20 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the shaft 46, and at itslower end through a spacer 22 to the rear end of an arbor or shaft 21,which is slidably guided in the bore of a perforated hub or boss 24,which is secured by a pin 52 (FIGS. 3 and 4) to a lever 25 intermediatethe ends thereof. Thus, lever 18, via the connecting rod 19 and thelever 20, imparts a reciprocal motion to the arbor 21 connected throughthe block 22 to the lower end of said lever. Said arbor 21 carries thetakeup needle 23 and is longitudinally slidable in the perforated hub 24of a lever 25.

The vertical displacement of the takeup needle takes place by means ofthe cam 26, also keyed to the shaft 1.

This cam, through the drive transferring mechanism formed by the fork27, pin 54, lever 28, and the connecting rod 29, causes the lever 30,which is pivotally mounted at its upper end on shaft 46, to bereciprocated and the latter, via the connecting rod 31, which ispivotally connected at its forward end to the upper end of lever 25,transfers its drive to the lever 25 which carries the perforated hub 24through which the takeup-needle-carrier arbor 21 is passed. Lever 25 ispivotally connected at its lower end to the forward wall of housing 40for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the shaft 1.

Summing up, there are two movements which act simultaneously on thearbor which carries the takeup needle 23, namely a translational motionas the shaft 21 advances axially toward the right in FIG. 3 and,simultaneously therewith, a downward movement as lever 25 is pivotedclockwise in FIG. 4 by the arm 31. These movements are obtained with twotriangular cam-fork downward assemblies which, besides assuring anentirely positive drive to said movements, are also such as to allow anindependent timing of the axial and downward movements of the takeupneedle.

In use, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the neeedle 23 isadvanced and rocked by the forward movement of the pin 13 in the slot14; as as to insert an auxiliary weft thread in the form of a selvedgeloop into the shed created by the warps W (FIG. 3), each time the shedis opened. The needle 15 then descends to engage the selvedge loopinserted by the. needle 23 and to retain it in the form of a loop as theneedle 23 withdraws from the shed.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that by using identical cams 2,16 and 26 for operating the needles 15 and 23, applicant hasconsiderably reduced the overall cost of the selvedge device, ascompared to prior such devices. Since these cams are identical, they areinterchangeable, and can be produced readily in quantity. By mountingthe cams on a single shaft 1 the size of the device is materiallyreduced; and by employing the forks 3, 17 and 27, a positive drive isimparted to the needles in each direction in which they move.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A selvedge-forming device for shuttleless weaving looms, comprisingan auxiliary weft thread inserting needle mounted for helical movementin opposite directions along and about an axis to insert an auxiliaryweft thread into the wrap shed of the loom on movement in one direction,

a retaining needle mounted for reversible movement from a position ofrest forwardly and downwardly into the loom warp shed, and then back torest, to retain in the shed each auxiliary weft thread inserted by saidinserting needle,

a rotatable cam shaft supported on the loom breastbeam,

at least three, axially spaced, identical cams secured to said shaft forrotation therewith,

means connecting one of said cams to said inserting needle positively toimpart said helical movement thereto in each direction upon rotation ofsaid one cam, and

means connecting two others of said cams to said retaining needlepositively to move said retaining needle on both its forward and returnmovements, said two cams being operative to effect said forward and saiddownward movements, respectively, of said retaining needle.-

2. A selvedge-forming device as defined in claim 1, wherein said threecams are generally triangular in configuration.

3. A selvedge-forming device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidconnecting means for said inserting needle comprises a second shaftconnected to said inserting needle, and mounted for axial reciprocal andfor oscillatory movement about its axis,

linkage connecting said one of said cams to said second shaft to impartsaid axial movement thereto,

a stationary member mounted adjacent said second shaft, and

a sleeve surrounding said second shaft,

a pin carried by said sleeve and slidable in a cam slot in saidstationary member, said slot being curved intermediate its ends therebyto impart through said pin said oscillatory movement to said secondshaft during the axial reciprocation of the latter, thereby to impartsaid helical movement to said inserting needle.

4. A selvedge-forming device as defined in claim 3, wherein saidconnecting means for said retaining needle comprises a lever mounted atone end thereof to pivot about a fixed axis that extends transverse tosaid second shaft,

a third shaft slidably guided by said lever for axial movement parallelto said second shaft, and carrying said retaining needle on one endthereof, and

means connecting said lever and said third shaft to two others of saidcams for simultaneous movement thereby, whereby to impart saidreversible movement to said retaining needle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS HENRY S. JAUDON, PrimaryExaminer.

